Photography as a Side Hustle

Jordann is a part time runner, yogi, local foodie and personal finance aficionado, and a full time marketing professional living and working in Atlantic Canada. She writes about her life at her blog, My Alternate Life.

When I first started getting out of debt, the very first thing I did (besides have a heart attack when I realized how much debt I was actually in) was I stopped spending more than I was earning. After that was accomplished, there were two paths I could’ve taken. Either I could reduce my expenses to free up some money for debt repayment, or increase my income. Reducing expenses can be a great and easy way to free up some money for debt repayment, but there’s a limit. Once I reached my absolute minimum expense level, the only other option is to increase income.

I’m fairly new to the job market, so my bargaining power when it comes to my job is pretty limited. I can’t ask for a raise at this point, so increasing my income at my full time job isn’t really an option. Instead, I’m looking to side jobs to increase my take home pay.

There are all sorts of side hustles out there available, but to get the best return for your effort, it’s best to focus first on side hustles that involve a skill set you already have. I’m a marketing professional, so my skill set typically includes website design, designing of marketing materials, social media, etc. But recently, thanks to a generous parental Christmas gift, I started a photography class aimed at teaching me how to use my DSLR camera. This got me thinking, is photography a potential side hustle?

Why Photography Is a Good Side Hustle

Photographing family events, weddings, and portraits can be a great way to make some extra money. This works well for a side hustle because it’s unlikely the events will conflict with a regular work day schedule. Weddings, and family events typically take place on weekends or in the evenings. Portrait goers will appreciate the opportunity to have their portraits done outside of work hours, so they don’t have to take off work. The editing process for these shoots can be done in the comfort of my own home, on my own schedule (aka: at midnight the night before it’s due)

In terms of skill level, photographers typically charge fees in accordance with the demand for, and quality of, their work. There is a large sliding scale for what photographers charge, from a few hundred dollars, to thousands. As a new photographer, I wouldn’t be able to charge much, but that has the added advantage of not requiring me to compete directly with much more skilled and experienced photographers. By providing potential clients with a portfolio, a new photographer can give clients an idea of their skill level, and charge accordingly.

The Drawbacks

While a flexible schedule, pricing, and skill level are great aspects to a side hustle, there are a few areas where being a photographer can be stressful. An inexperienced photographer can easily get overwhelmed and forget their training. I know when I’m shooting in a big group of people, I get a little overstimulated and my photos suffer for it. I get swept up in the event itself, and forget to slow down and think about the quality of the photos I’m taking. Lower quality photos mean unhappy clients, so I’m going to make sure I get lots of experience photographing events for free before I venture out and charge for it.

Along with the potential for poor quality photos, is the potential for customers who are unwilling to pay the determined rate, who try and get you to stay later at an event than previously agreed, or who complain about the photo quality as a way to get a reduced rate. There’s a few in every line of work, and if dealing with difficult customers isn’t your jam, consider a part time job where you have a supervisor to refer these people to instead.

Photography Is a Good Potential Side Hustle

As long as the clients are aware of what kind of quality of photos you can produce, and the fees are agreed upon (and/or paid) beforehand, photography has a lot of potential as a good side hustle. So grab your camera, Google how to use it, and get shooting!

I love taking snapshots and I would definitely consider photography as a side hustle if I had a nice camera and some practice. I have a friend who is a professional wedding photographer, though, and I'm sure she would wince to read about all us amateurs interested in her business!

Well that is definitely NOT something I can do. I have only a camera on my phone, and if you've seen the pictures on my website, you'll know that I ain't no pro…or even close! Haha. I take my day job (blue collar fix-it type stuff) and make that my side job too. On the weekends I'll clean out neighbor's gutters, recaulk bathtubs, build decks, put in kitchen tiles… using skills you already have it defintiely the key!

I would love to do this and have often thought about it but I feel like the area I live in is saturated with talented photographers for one and two, if I'm going to be serious about it I need time I don't have anymore. I love snapping pictures though! Good luck!

You can have a lot of success building your portfolio by offering free or close to free sessions on craigslist – my friend rocked it by doing that! Make sure your offer is short and sweet, so you don't over commit to free work.

Great post Jordann. I am also hoping to do some photography as a side hustle. My first paid gig is this month and I am really excited/nervous. I am borrowing a Nikon DSLR for the event and yes I am only getting $100 for the evening, but getting the experience is more important. I like taking pictures as it is, so I would love to get paid. I will certainly consider doing some free work to begin with to build my portfolio.

Cool! I think the part of photography many "photographers" forget is that it's nearly as much about people as it is the actual shots. I've always tended to like photographers who are nice people and easy to work with. Their shots might not be as good as some others, but they make up for it.

I have a nice camera and a good eye….hey! You've got my wheels turning, Jordann! I might just try to hit up some relatives to see if they want some free shots to beef up my "portfolio"…and it would allow me to practice and see if I'm actually any good or if I just have cute kids. Seriously, are the pictures cute because my kids are…or because I'm an awesome photographer? Hmmm…. ;)

I have quite a few friends who do this….I'm afraid I haven't got the eye….or the clicking finger….to make it viable for me, though! Kudos to all those who pull it off, but I'd get mad crazy reviews on my work. :p

I enjoy photography, but I'm not really good at shooting people, so am not really considering it as a moneymaking option but just a hobby. I've attended a few professional photo shoots for my magazine and the time spent on pro lighting setups is insane!